Crazy Little Thing

Part 2 - Chapter 1 - No Longer Alone

Silly, silly girl. The farthest distance could never keep Debbie away. The same Deborah Holly York that yelled at the rain. The one who snuck out to smell the freshly watered grass of the manor at night. Who loved books and reading of adventures and romance, love both lost and found. Debbie who loved to bake them treats and would open her own bakery one day. 

Debbie York. Debbie York.  

The blonde teen who claimed to love him. The one who claimed to love everything in the world. Such a silly girl. It was impossible to love everything all at once. Damian always brushed off her love of things yet she didn't care. Debbie persisted.

"I love beautiful things. Beautiful people. Beautiful places," she told him as they lay on the roof of the manor, listening as the soft breeze sang to them.

She'd grown, Damian thought as he glanced over to her and turned away just as quickly. Yet they both had changed after all. Damian now fourteen, Debbie herself, who's thirteenth birthday just passed, declared loudly to him that she was growing old. And together they stayed. Now and forever as comrades. Damian insisted. Forever as good friends. Maybe still even his only friend. 

They had the entire summer to figure out whether their friendship was worthy. In the meantime, Damian found himself growing tired. Tired yet not willing to let go of the night just yet. 

"Not everything is beautiful, you know," Damian admitted with a wave of his hand, scaring off a mosquito.

Debbie smiled, she folded her hands atop her stomach, "Damaged people are the most beautiful of all." 

Damaged people were the most beautiful of all. Silly girl indeed. 

Summer had rolled back once again. Damian was both glad and cursed. He would be able to stay out on patrol longer. Yet summer also meant Debbie would visit him every day for their next so called adventure or journey. She did that every summer of every year.

She always showed up during breakfast. When Damian was alone. How she found her own way to the manor he would never know. Every breakfast, she was always there.

"What are you doing this summer?" The way she had asked. Almost scared. Hesitant. 

Damian hadn't been paying attention to her. He'd woken up just minutes prior and found his breakfast waiting for him in the kitchen. The young teen was now busy with a book beside his untouched bowl of oatmeal. Debbie herself sat down across from him, a glass of cold orange juice being nursed.

"Don't know."

"Don't know or don't care?"

"Choose one." 

It was the way they spoke to each other. Debbie always challenging. First setting the trap but always challenging the other party. It wouldn't surprise him if he was her only friend. Friend? Maybe still just an acquaintance, he still couldn't made up his mind. One moment she could be his friend and the next Damian simply couldn't stand her.

Damian shrugged before standing up, taking his bowl and book with him, "Maybe I'll fall in love."  

"Yeah sure. That'll be the day," Debbie rolled her eyes.

What did this girl know about anything. It wasn't as though it was impossible. But in Damian's eyes it was a weakness. Caring for a person. What a terrible thing to think, to do. Debbie often told Damian she loved him. It had become normal. A broken record unable to stop. He hated it. Hated that she had to say it as though it was obvious. As though it was normal. As though it were true. The whole idea of love and caring for another human being. It was an odd idea. Yet summer could be filled with odd ideas. Summers were like living in a different world for a few weeks. School was nonexistent, nothing else mattered. 

Except he was wrong. Debbie mattered. What a wretched, poison filled thought. 

Damian found himself at peace as he suited up for a night of patrol. His gloves were tight around his wrist as was most of his suit. He was a growing teenager after all. It was only natural that he began to outgrow his Robin suit. It didn't matter how many alterations he made to it, the young teen would soon need a new suit. There was a thought. Replacing a suit was easy. Now, replacing oneself...

He was far too eager to be on patrol. He looked forward to new fresh bruises and cuts that came with the job. His arms and legs would ache if he pushed himself far enough. Damian looked forward to it. The teen missed the feeling of the crisp cold breeze hitting his sweaty face at the end of the night. 

Yet he always found himself visiting his comrade as he ended his patrol. A blessing or a curse, he would never know for sure.

Debbie lived with her family. Jason and Jill together at last. Their wedding had first been a secretive one but soon Bruce made sure it was a vast and glamourous celebration. Damian himself believed it was silly. It angered him for reasons unknown but he was still respectable to his brother and his bride on that day. Debbie followed him around the entire day and night. There was no use at all in trying to get rid of her.

The Todd family lived in Gotham although it still took Damian a short amount of time to reach her home whenever on patrol. He didn't mind. 

"I have summer school," Debbie informed him one night as Damian readied himself to leave after their weekly hang out.

Normally, they simply spent time together. Their schedules began to overtake their lives and night time during patrol let them catch up with one another until the summer break began. They had no other friends to hang out with but it was fine with them both. Who needed friends anyway? They were strange to other people but in each others eyes it was just fine. Who wanted to be normal? Normal seemed like such a bland and boring idea.

"At least you're in a good school," Damian was quick to add as he removed his mask once again and sat on her windowsill. He knew Debbie would continue with her conversation. There was no use in fighting it. He would be leaving only until after she finished telling him of every detail of her life. His weekly update on Debbie York. 

But this time she only shrugged before crossing her arms, "I failed geometry. Think you can tutor me?"

"Sure."

"Damian."

"What?" 

The blonde grinned. A sad, distant grin as she looked down at her feet. It made Damian angry whenever she became distant and sad. It was unnatural. Wrong in so many ways. It made him feel as though he was being blamed for something. Something he had not caused but might as well have.

Debbie scoffed and looked up at him, a crooked smile plastered on her face, "Nothing."

"Alright," it amused him how strange Debbie was. He grew accustomed to it throughout the years. Damian shook his head. He put his mask on and waved his hand at Debbie.

The young girl raised her own hand just the slightest, "Careful, kid."

"Always."

I'm alive! And the next chapter is partially done but this is absolutely my birthday present to myself posting this chapter! And I might even post a little something else later today if I get the chance so keep your eyes open for a possible surprise. Have an awesome day/night!!